


Haircut

by Eastofthemoon



Series: Raised By Lions [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Brotherly Love, Cuddles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 06:39:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10077782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastofthemoon/pseuds/Eastofthemoon
Summary: Keith is in dire need of a haircut.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A short drabble this time since I thought I would try to get one out for the last day of the Voltron Platonic Week. I did drop a little bit of plot that I plan to go back to later. Let's see if you all can spot it. LOL
> 
> Update: This fic now has art by the talented Blacklionshiro: https://blacklionshiro.tumblr.com/ Enjoy!

Keith stared into the small mirror as he tugged on one of his bangs over his eyes. “I do like having long hair,” he said as he glanced over. “You won’t cut it too short right.”

Shiro shook his head as he held up the scissors and comb. “No, I’ll keep it above your shoulders like you wanted.” He frowned as he lowered his hands into his lap. “With that said, we don’t have to cut your hair, Keith. We can just braid it or tie it into a ponytail if you want to keep all of it.”

Keith sighed as he leaned against Red’s foot and shook his head. “No, I’ve been meaning to get it cut for a while. It’s getting harder to maintain it at this rate.”

Keith’s hair was down past his shoulders, and if it wasn’t dealt with soon, his hair would be at his waist. He personally didn’t care too much about his hair. Truthfully, he hadn’t realized how long it gotten until Shiro asked how Keith could see through all of that hair.

Keith had cut his hair before, he had to. Having hair too long carried a hazard of ruining his vision, or getting it caught when he had to move fast. Keith had learned that lesson the hard way.

Problem was cutting his own hair had always been a pain. It wasn’t as if Red could cut it for him, although she had joked she could groom him like a lioness would her cub.

Red always laughed at her own joke as Keith rolled his eyes at that suggestion. He was grateful he had Shiro this time to cut it for him. Perhaps this time his hair wouldn’t look like he had cut it off with a weedwhacker.

Shiro offered a smile as he moved closer and reached for Keith’s bangs. “Okay, this won’t take long. Just stay still.”

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=wkjn94)

Keith nodded and shut his eyes as he felt Shiro’s fingers lift his bangs. He felt the metal fingers of Shiro’s cybernetic arm straighten his hair as he heard the scissors open. Keith figured Shiro felt he had more precision in his human hand over his cybernetic one.

It felt odd, but Keith had gotten use to the cybernetic arm at this point. A snip was heard and Keith felt hair brush past his cheek as it fell. Before long, more hair dropped to the ground and then Keith felt Shiro pat his head.

“Okay, Buddy,” he said as he held up the small mirror. “You happy with the bangs? I’m not an expert, but I did try to make it even.”

Keith took the mirror and tugged on his bangs. They were a bit uneven, but Keith could care less. They weren’t in his eyes and that’s what mattered.

“It’s fine,” he told Shiro as he handed back the mirror. “Want me to turn around?”

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Shiro said with a grin. “This part may take a bit longer though.”

“I figured it would,” Keith said as he showed his back to Shiro. “You’ll probably want to comb it first though. I did my best, but I got some bad tangles there.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Shiro said as Keith felt him touch his hair. “I still can’t believe it got this long though.”

Keith shrugged as he felt the teeth of the comb go through his hair. “It would probably be longer, but I had cut it myself a few times already.” He shut his eyes. “And the first time was no picnic.”

“I’ll bet,” Shiro said as he tugged a bit at a tangle. “It’s hard to cut your own hair.”

“Yeah,” Keith said as he took a deep breath at the memory, “especially when you’re trying to get away.”

Shiro’s combing paused. “ What do you mean?”

Keith suddenly realized what he said and froze. _Uh oh, maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up,_ he thought.

“Keith?” Shiro asked gently.

Keith forced a laugh. “It’s..no big deal, but..well, one time a couple of Galra chased me through this jungle planet Red and I were on.” He turned his head to look at Red. “I was getting some fruit to take when they spotted me and my hair had gotten really long at that point.”

_And I recall sternly telling you to get it cut before that,_ Red growled in his mind. _Several times._

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Keith muttered.

Shiro frowned in confusion and then raised an eyebrow. “Red?”

“Yeah,” Keith sighed. “Man, I need to find a way for you to talk without me being the translator.”

“Yes, we’ve established that,” Shiro said as he folded his arm, “but as you were saying?”

“Right,” Keith said as he chewed his bottom lip. “Like I said, my hair had gotten long and ,well, in my haste to get away, it got caught on a branch.” He sighed. “I couldn’t get it off.”

Keith rubbed his arm at the memory. He had never been struck with so much panic at once before. His fingers scrambling to untie his hair as the soldiers were getting closer with each passing second. His heart had been pounding so fast and it took forever to calm himself down when he got away.

Shiro was silent as his body went still. “What did you do?”

Keith reached for the dagger on his hip and held it up. “I just cut the whole thing off, ran for it and Red appeared seconds later to pick me up,” Keith explained as he handed it to Shiro. “I was lucky that I alway keep my dad’s old dagger on me or I could have been in real trouble.”

Shiro blinked as he looked the dagger over and fingered the odd symbol on the hilt. “This was your dad’s?”

Keith shrugged. “Well, technically it belonged to my mom, but he claimed she gave it to him and thus to me.”

The dagger was the only connection Keith had to his mother. He never understood why his dad never even had a photo of her. Granted, his dad had been an odd person up to the dad he died.

“I don’t recall you having this at the Garrison?” Shiro said as he handed it back.

“That’s because after I found Red I just kept it in her,” Keith explained. “I had to hide it when I was in the foster homes. Although, after Red and I left Earth I just got into the habit of keeping it on me.” 

Keith fingered the blade of the knife. “Just always made me feel safer, although, I haven’t had to stab anyone with it yet.” He showed Shiro a smile, but if felt more strained than he meant it to be. “So, that’s good right?”

Shiro’s eyes hardened, as he set the scissors down and swiftly engulfed Keith into a tight hug.

Keith stiffened, surprised at the gesture, but then relaxed and leaned into him. 

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Shiro told him as he patted his head. “It had to have been real scary.”

Keith shut his eyes as he hugged back.

Shiro didn’t talk much of his time fighting in the area, but he knew there were nights Shiro had trouble sleeping due to nightmares of it. He had told Shiro several times he could talk to Keith about it if he wanted to and Shiro would always respond with a smile and a “Thanks, Buddy.” 

Yet, Shiro didn’t. However, Keith suspected the reason was because he either didn’t want to trouble Keith or he simply didn’t wish to remember it altogether. Keith always did his best to best to respect that.

“I was fine,” Keith insisted, “really, I mean it wasn’t like anything you’ve been put through.” 

He meant it too. Red had always been there. It didn’t seem fair to complain something he survived when Shiro had been through so much worse.

“Nope, we’re not having a competition here,” Shiro said sternly as he lifted Keith’s head to look at him. “You had some tough times too, Kiddo. So, don’t go thinking you can’t tell me about this stuff.”

Keith blinked at him stunned. “But-”

“No, ‘buts’,” Shiro repeated. “I know you’re always ready to listen to me and the same goes for you got it?”

_Listen to him,_ Red said as she purred. _What he says is correct..this time at least._

Keith scoffed, but he gave a nod. “Yeah, okay, Shiro. I promise.”

Shiro patted his head and gave one more squeeze. “With that said, let’s fix up the rest of your hair.”

“Yeah, sure,” Keith said as he let go and turned his back to him again. “Afterwards, do you want me to try giving you a trim?”

Shiro chuckled as he went back to combing. “I’m good, although I suppose I will have to teach you at some point.” Keith heard him set down the comb and pick up the scissors. “My current choices are either you or Red, and I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t survive Red’s haircuts.”

No, he wouldn’t, Red chuckled as she purred. _Not even if he asked nicely._

“Noted,” Keith said to both Shiro and his lion. 

Suddenly, there was a snip and Keith’s head felt much lighter. More snips were heard and Keith caught a glimpse of his black hair fall into the grass as Shiro continued to cut.

_Real glad we did this outside,_ Keith thought. _Be a pain to clean up if it had been cut inside Red._

After a few more snips, and another run through with the comb, Shiro patted Keith’s shoulder. “There done,” he said as he passed on the mirror. “I’m not a hairdresser, but that should do the job I think.”

Keith glanced in the mirror and was glad to see Shiro had kept his hair just touching his shoulders. Having hair too long was a pain, but Keith didn’t care when it was too short either. There were a lot of things he currently had no control over in his life, so he had to take of what he could get.

“It’s perfect,” Keith said as he lowered the mirror and turned back around. “Thanks, Shiro.”

“No problem,” Shiro said as he ruffled Keith’s hair and looked around. “This planet is nice and quiet. Is there anything you want to do?”

Keith frowned and then locked his gaze at the small lake that wasn’t too far from where they sat.

“How about going for a swim?” Keith said as he pointed. “Red scanned it earlier when we landed. She said it should be safe for us to swim and drink from.”

Shiro looked over and gave a nod. “That’s sounds great,” he said and rubbed his neck. “Truthfully, be nice to wash up in something that wasn’t Red’s decontamination chamber.”

_I could simply make a habit of finding a lake to dunk the both of you into,_ Red commented.

“I don’t think Shiro would care for that,” Keith commented and looked to Shiro. “Red offer to just dunk you into lakes from now on.”

Shiro rolled his eyes. “I’ll pass,” he said as he took Keith by the arm. “Come on, let’s go for a swim and you can wash off any loose hairs you may have.”

Keith gave a nod as he glanced to the fallen hair and his thoughts drifted to Shiro’s earlier reassurance that he could talk to him. Keith gave a small smile as he followed Shiro to the lake.

It felt good to have the extra weight taken off, both the hair and the fear.


End file.
